Human Physiology

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

• Draw and explain homeostasis loops for regulation of mean arterial pressure, volume and ionic composition, glucose levels, and pH of body fluids.
• Explain the central dogma of molecular biology and relate it to the main determinants of protein structure and function.
• Draw how neurons transmit information, including membrane potentials, and describe specific neurotransmitter functions and receptors.
• Predict how disturbances to the ionic composition of body fluids affect the function of excitable cells and alter protein function.
• Explain how hormones relay information: including source, stimuli for release, mode of travel in the blood, receptor location, and target tissue response.
• Explain, using the law of mass action, how enzymes regulate biochemical reactions.
• Compare and contrast the function, anatomy, and regulation of skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscle.
• Describe the anatomy of the autonomic ganglia and explain how the autonomic nervous system influences its target tissues including the heart, endocrine glands, and smooth muscle of the vascular system, gut, and airways.
• Draw the oxygen-hemoglobin saturation curve, explain factors that affect the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen, and describe the role of hemoglobin in gas exchange and transport with respect to oxygen, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide.
• Draw a nephron of the kidney, and describe how the kidneys regulate plasma pH, volume and ionic composition, and affect potassium balance.
• Explain how macromolecules (carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids) are digested, absorbed and metabolized to make ATP, including enzyme function and hormonal regulation.
• Explain the role of genes in sex determination, and how hormones regulate the fetal phenotype, as well as adult reproductive function.

Course Grading Information:

Activity/Performance Measure	Percentage/Points
Individual readiness assurance test (iRAT)	10%
Team readiness assurance tests (tRATs)	5%
Lecture tests (five tests, each worth 14%)	70%
Canvas Homework, Video Quizzes, & Skills & Drills	10%
Iclicker polling & attendance	5%

Midterm grades and final grades will appear in UNCGenie based on the grading scale below.

Grading Scale

Percentage	Letter Grade
>89.5%	A
87.5-89.4%	A-
84.5-87.4%	B+
79.5-84.4%	B
77.5-79.4%	B-
74.5-77.4%	C+
69.5-74.4%	C
67.5-69.4%	C-
59.5-67.4%	D
<59.4%	F

Attendance/Participation:

Class attendance and punctuality are required for your success. As such, up to 2.5 points will be awarded based on your attendance as reported by iclicker. You must be present for at least 90% of all the semester lectures to receive full credit for attendance and at least above 50% to receive any points for attendance. I will not go back and award credit on days you forgot your clicker, low batteries, you were out of town, etc. You can miss a few classes and still receive all your points.

Percent attendance = attendance points awarded >90% = 2.5 points 80-89% = 2 points 70%-79% = 1.5 points 60%-69% = 1 point 50%-59% = 0.5 points <50% = 0 points

On test days, plan ahead by allowing extra travel time in case of traffic delays or weather-related issues. If you arrive late to an iRAT or lecture test, you will only be allowed to use the remaining class time. No additional time or accommodations will be provided for late arrival.

If you know in advance that you will miss a lecture test or iRAT, you must notify me as soon as possible so that arrangements can be made for you to take it early. Makeup exams and quizzes are administered in person only. If you miss an assessment unexpectedly, you must contact me within 24 hours to discuss the possibility of a makeup. There are no online makeup options. As noted above, makeup tests will not be multiple-choice. They will consist of a varied format, including short answer, true/false, and fill-in-the-blank questions.

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

• Textbook: Human Physiology: An Integrated Approach. Dee Silverthorn, 9th edition. You may purchase a new or used printed text, or the etext. You can also use slightly older editions, but there are small differences in organization and content.
• Corequisite BIO 277L Laboratory manual: Laboratory Manual for Human Physiology, 2026, UNCG Biology Department. 10th edition (Red cover). ISBN 979-8-3197-1319-3 OR you may opt for the online lab manual: ISBN: 979-8-3197-1320-9
• Iclicker remote: Follow this link to create your clicker student account